Equilization
by Rubicon 9 Of Hearts
Summary: His best friend is stuck there, fighting his own battle inside. Even with his treatment, the noirette is just passing each day slowly by. Can a little surprise form Elliot on a snowy day cheer him up? Set in an AU.


**Hrrm… welp, this one little drabble I wanted to do had pestered me a while back. So I had to wrote it. Here is the prompt from imagineyourotp**

**_Imagine Person B diagnosed with cancer and has lost all of their hair from chemotherapy. Person A decides to visit Person B. When Person B sees Person A at the door, Person A comments Person B how beautiful they are; Person B tears up and laughs and comments how silly the hat Person A is wearing. Person A smiles shyly, removes the hat, revealing that they have shaved their head for Person B._**

**Now, for some reason, I can see this with a certain master and servant *cough*Elliot&Leo*cough* so, this little drabble feat. Elliot and Leo is the result. Oh! And this is an AU.**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way**

Equalization

When he heard the diagnostic, it almost seemed unreal, like a bad dream.

And when it finally made sense, his hand griped Elliot's so hard that he might have broken it. Behind that curtain of hair, the true expression hidden, what looked like a blank realization were actually eyes that were wide with shock.

'_I'm scared…'_

Elliot seemed to notice that something had changed in Leo ever since being diagnosed with cancer. He wasn't his usual self anymore. Even after being confined to a hospital, Leo remained that way. Of course anyone would be shocked by such a thing, and considering the noirette was barely rattled by anything, something had defiantly changed.

Leo had begun chemotherapy shortly after being admitted. Elliot had to admit, although he was glad this could somehow help his friend get better, repercussions came with this kind of thing. Soon enough, his silky hair started falling out.

Leo, on the other hand, just passed each day by blankly. The Nightray brought some books for him to read and always tried to strike up conversation with him, but that didn't change a thing. And when his hair started to disappear… Well, Leo knew that would happen, and it made him frustrated. His long black hair was the only thing that protected him, and now it was gone. Elliot suggested that he should take his glasses off, since he looked really weird wearing them now. Sometime in those days, Leo knew that he was scared of dying, but it was the fact that he had caused misfortune upon others that truly killed him inside and made him weary.

And the empty days continued.

One winter day, Elliot had decided to go and visit his friend. On his way up to the fourth floor of the hospital, he wondered what Leo was doing right now. He hoped the former noirette was at least the tiniest bit better. He remembered one particular day when he had come to see that boy…

Inside the room, all the curtains drawn in, there was Leo; he sat on the bed with a white blanket covering most of his head. Only his mouth was visible, every other feature shadowed. Confused, he asked Leo why he was covering himself in a blanket. He didn't answer, so Elliot got closer to the bed. In response, Leo seemed to inch away. Taking the blanket in hand, he could of sworn the boy said something and those the gold in those black-purple eyes glinted just as he pulled it back. The beige haired boy stopped in the middle of hat he was saying too, because his friend's form had come into full view. Leo looked up at him with slomen, sad eyes… And all his hair was gone.

After that, it took Elliot a short while to get used to it, but he still kind of wasn't. Without those long smooth locks of hair, Leo looked weird and out of place. Well… that was about to change.

On this day, the former noirette was sitting up in his bed, reading a book. Again, this would just be another lonely day for him. Elliot couldn't come to visit as much, and Leo missed his company. Things just seemed to be repeating themselves day after day.

He stared down blankly at the words, reading them over in his head. His glasses were off- in their little case that they were originally in when he received them- which exposed his eyes, plain as day for everyone to see. He truly didn't like his eyes, because he thought they were abnormal and ugly. Someone thought they were pretty though.

It was then that he heard a knock on the doorframe, but the ill boy ignored it.

"Leo."

That could not be ignored though, someone calling his name. _He_ was calling his name.

Leo looked up, and saw Elliot standing in the doorway.

"Oh. Elliot…"

The Nightray chuckled, his icy blue eyes making contact with his. "You know Leo… I still think those eyes of yours are dazzling."

"Eh?"

"You still look as great as always."

For a moment, Leo could not help but look away slightly. _'How could he say that? My eyes are not pretty and…'_ He thought this, but looking at Elliot he could not help the tears forming in his eyes.

"Ah… How can… Heh…" Leo too, chuckled, trying to distract him. "That hat looks ridiculous; I hope you know that Elliot."

Elliot growled, knowing the other would say that. It was cold outside, so he had bought this hat that completely covered the majority of his head, leaving his face to show. But, in reality…

"You…! About that…" Elliot smiled a little shyly, leaving Leo to wonder what he was planning. That was when he stepped further into the room, coming to stand by his bedside. He then reached up and took off his hat.

Leo was stunned; frozen in place. Elliot had shaved his head.

'_Elliot… you… But why…?'_ In the former noirette's mind, he kept asking himself that over and over. And then a conclusion.

"Elliot…Why did you do that?"

"You idiot, it's simple!" Elliot sat down on the bed and put his arm around his friend. "I did it for you. We're equals, you know, so this makes it okay. You don't like it?"

Leo was shocked. To think that he would go this far just for his own sake. No one had ever done such a thing for him. This was the first, and it made Leo's heart swell with such a warm feeling; endless and comforting.

"Well, that's twenty-"

"No." Leo interrupted, smiling and leaning his head again the Nightray. "It's fine."

Elliot was glad. And so, he lean down a little and kissed his friend's forehead. "Good."

"That's so cheesy though. Whatever will your family saw about this one~?"

"I'll make them accept it! That's for sure! It's all because I wanted to cheer you up!"

This was the Leo that Elliot knew and would cherish forever.


End file.
